Bootable Devices Detected'. However the hard drive is detected in the BIOS, and theres only 1 partition which Windows says is active. Now here's the weird part, Windows will boot if the Windows Installation CD is in the CD-Rom drive. I can take out the CD and operate windows fine after boot up. Here's what I've tried so far:
1) Recovery Console - Bootcfg /rebuild, fixboot, fixmbr
2) Windows Repair InstallationI want to try and avoid reformatting if at all possible. Any ideas or suggestions??
Maybe something is missing or corrupted ??
Try System File Checker:
Open the Command Prompt, then type:sfc /scannow
note space between the c and /
Have XP CD in your drive.
Information about SFCHow to use the scannow sfc tool in Windows XP
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html#
Wouldnt the repair installation fix the corrupted/missing files.
OH OK. How's the boot order in BIOS set ??
Maybe the Response here
http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/147094.html
may work.
Then again, maybe you have a file sitting on a bad sector on the harddrive ??
How to Perform Disk Error Checking in Windows XP
Perhaps the easier way to go is "To run Chkdsk
from My Computer or Windows Explorer"
Check mark both items under "Check Disk Options",
on your way into starting Error-Checking Tool.
The Boot order is set to CD-Rom, Floppy, Hard Drive. CHKDSK ran perfectly fine. I did the thorough check too.
Running out of ideas.
Maybe the text in Boot.ini file gives a clue ?
Right click My Computer,
then Properties,
then Advanced tab,
click Settings button under Startup and Recovery,
click Edit button,
then Copy and Paste text here.
Try looking here for "no bootable device"
http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=dhs&cat=all&c=us&l=en&cs=19&k=no+bootable+device&x=11&y=8
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
Havent found anything on the dell page either :/
I see you have SP2 from this line
NoExecute=OptIn
and that you did not state above.
Here is some info about it--
About SP2, Windows Security Center, Data Execution Prevention:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxpsp2/wsc.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;883792
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/wscoverview.mspxNot sure if that is related to your problem.
And not sure if editing the Boot.ini file to
NoExecute=OptOut
would work.The Purpose of the Boot.ini File in Windows XP
HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP
Print the articles to use as reference.